In aged care, healthcare, and education settings, medical emergencies can involve vulnerable people such as residents, patients, children, and students. Whether it's a fall, choking incident, sudden illness, or an allergic reaction, the first few minutes are critical and can make a real difference to outcomes.
Under the Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulation, workplaces must provide adequate first aid equipment, facilities, and trained responders appropriate to the risks present. The SafeWork NSW Code of Practice: First Aid in the Workplace provides practical guidance on how to meet these obligations. Compliance is essential, but the real goal is to have a system that works in your specific setting.
Consider the unique risks in your environment: falls, choking during meals or play, cardiac or respiratory events, anaphylaxis, and other medical emergencies. Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) should be visible, accessible, regularly checked, and first aid responders should be available across all shifts, including evenings and weekends in residential and hospital settings.
Practical steps your workplace can take today include:
- - Review first aid kits and replace any expired or missing items
- - Ensure trained first aiders are rostered to your staff-to-resident/student ratios and shift coverage
- - Make AEDs clearly visible and maintain a regular testing schedule
- - Display signage for first aid kit locations and responders contacts
- - Keep care plans up to date and ensure staff know where to access them during emergencies
- - Include emergency response guidance and role-specific first aid training in staff induction and refresher programs
Other resources
Please read the SafeWork NSW Code of Practice: First Aid in the Workplace (Jan 2020) for more information.
We're here to help
As always, the WHS Team are here to help. If you have any other questions or need additional support, you are welcome to contact us via:
E: info@trinityinsurance.au
T: 02 8251 9069